The invention herein relates to the field of universal joints and more particularly to constant velocity universal joints.
It is known in the prior art (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,870) to have a universal joint having only three trunnion members mounted at an acute angle on a driving shaft having partial ball members rotationally and slidably mounted on the trunnions and received in cooperating grooves on the driven shaft, the trunnion members and the grooves extending at an acute angle with respect to the shafts to provide a constant velocity universal joint. It has been recognized in this type of universal joint that the trunnions or shafts mounting the partial ball members are subject to distortion under torque load since the outer ends thereof are unsupported and torque is applied thereto only at the inner end where connected to the shaft.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a constant velocity universal joint of the type described wherein there is no distortion under substantial torque loads, yet considerable angularity between drive and driven shafts is permitted.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a constant velocity universal joint of the type described including a means to support and apply torque to the outer or remote ends of the trunnions.